


Experience for the Role

by aaliona



Series: AUs and Prompts [4]
Category: The 100 (TV)
Genre: Acting AU, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Audition AU, F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-03-15
Updated: 2016-03-15
Packaged: 2018-05-26 20:31:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,914
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6254830
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/aaliona/pseuds/aaliona
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Clarke finally has the chance for a major role. The director loves her for the part, but her co-star refuses to give her much consideration. She has only one chance to prove to Lexa that experience isn't everything.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Experience for the Role

**Author's Note:**

> I'm new to the Clexa fandom (at the most tragic time), so this is my first fic for them. Hope you enjoy it!

Clarke had never been in a production this big before. Sure, she’d done a few side parts in movies that panned well, but she hadn’t ever been this close to a role so important. Lead role in a movie already whispered to be Oscar worthy? Clarke grew weak in the knees at the thought. She had nailed the first round audition, but they wouldn't let her anywhere near a contract until she did a reading with the other lead. Chemistry and all that.

“Stop picking at your nails,” her agent hissed.

Clarke listened immediately, dropping her hands to her sides and rolled her shoulders back to stand up straighter. They’d worked on this. Clarke called it her in-charge stance. Raven, her best friend and manager, called it a standing bitch walk.

An assistant appeared at the door. “Ms. Griffin?”

“That’s me,” she said, although it felt a bit silly since the man was already looking at her.

“This way please.” He motioned down the hall, holding out a hand as Raven stood to follow. “I’m sorry, but the director specifically requested Ms. Griffin come alone.”

“Excuse me? Clarke doesn’t go anywhere without me.” Raven jutted her chin out. She was obviously prepared for a fight, and the assistant seemed to know it as he quivered under her gaze.

“Please,” he all but begged. “Mr. Kane wants to observe them without anyone else around to possibly influence the moment. Just him and the two actors. You’ll be allowed in after the reading.”

“That sounds fine,” Clarke cut in. She made a face at Raven that hinted without subtlety that she needed to let it go. This role was huge, and she needed everyone involved to know she was completely committed.

Raven crooked her head to the side, showing her displeasure, but she went over to sit down.

The assistance, obviously relieved he didn’t have to argue on the director’s behalf, moved off down the hall with a quick gesture for Clarke to follow. “Right through there,” he said as he reached to open the door for her.

“Ah, Clarke Griffin.”

She looked up with a warm smile as Marcus Kane moved toward her with a sweeping gesture of his arms. As he shook her head, Clarke took the opportunity to glance around his office, eyes landing on the plush leather couch and the woman upon it.

“Clarke Griffin?” Her cold voice rang out with disbelief. “Marcus, I thought you said you had someone good for the role.”

Clarke pursed her lips as she stared at the woman. Lexa (first name only, weird, in Clarke’s opinion) certainly had built a name for herself as one of the most intimidating women in Hollywood. She was often described by costars as distant, intense, and icy. Clarke could see why. She certainly looked every bit the heartless bitch they called her, but no one could deny her talent. Given the same circumstances, Clarke could only dream to play roles as diverse as Lexa had already achieved.

“What exactly is wrong with me?” Clarke asked, actively reminding herself she had to play nice if she wanted even a prayer of getting the part.

“Simple.” Lexa hadn’t even bothered to get up as she stared down Clarke. “You’ve no experience in a film of this emotional depth, nor the career to prove you’re up for a role this demanding. I refuse to accept the performance standards of ‘the other woman’ from a Valentine’s Day chick flick.

“Besides,” she added with a sniff. “I told Marcus I refuse to play opposite yet another straight woman playing at sexuality.”

Clarke set her jaw to keep from immediately biting back, but Marcus Kane was still in the room watching their exchange with the same fear as the assistant from earlier.

“Everyone starts somewhere. You shouldn’t judge my acting based on previous roles, or you’d still be playing villain or love interest in every teen drama.”

Lexa’s eyes narrowed just enough that Clarke felt a moment of triumph. She obviously hadn’t expected her own history thrown back.

“Besides,” Clarke said, echoing Lexa’s tone. “I’m not a straight woman. Just because I don’t have a girlfriend to parade around Hollywood doesn’t mean anything. I’m bisexual.”

She hadn’t meant to let out the last part. Her chosen labels were her own business, not information for anyone else, and certainly not the judgmental actress in from of her. Still, Clarke kept her head up as she stared back against Lexa’s burning gaze.

“That right there!”

Marcus startled them both as he spoke suddenly.

“The confrontation scene while Alicia’s on leave. I’m sensing that energy in the room right now. All that tension, that burn to say more while under constraint. It’s all right here in this room.” He turned away from Clarke, facing Lexa directly. “This is exactly why I want her. Remember that you get some sway in your partner, but I am the director. My casting crew have done a remarkable job in finding us Clarke, and I think this will work wonderfully. Let’s read that scene to prove it.”

He strode over to his desk, picking up a folder and flipping through two scripts inside until he found what he wanted. “Come to the couch, Clarke. I think we can start in the middle. Clarke, your line, ‘Why didn’t you write?’ Come now.”

As she moved into place, Clarke became very aware of how close she was sitting to a woman whose displeasure still radiated from her being. Marcus seemed oblivious as he pulled up his desk chair with a third copy of the script. “Whenever you’re both ready.”

Clarke glanced up to gauge with Lexa and received a curt nod. Closing her eyes, she took a deep breath to steady herself and sink into the role. As much as she disliked the woman next to her, Elyza loved Alicia with every fiber of her being. It made the tension in this scene so much stronger. It was a beautifully written piece by Anya Trikru about a woman serving overseas in the military, a stressful experience that only intensifies as she struggles to explain her experiences to her girlfriend. Elyza began the film a relatively undeveloped character, but a combination of flashbacks and modern time showed the stress and passion she dealt with her own stress of dealing badly with the long distance relationship and constant paranoia that something will happen to Alicia.

At one point, Clarke might have channeled her relationship with Finn to find the loving emotion needed, but she didn’t have that anymore. It was too bitter, even if she and Raven had come out stronger. She had only herself and the moment to rely on.

She opened her eyes and looked at Lexa, letting out a tense, purposefully stuttered breath. “Why didn’t you write?”

Lexa licked her lips and turned her head away, hands following with the script. “I… didn’t really have time.”

“I wrote every day. You could have answered once in a while.” Clarke allowed a little bite to slip into her voice but kept it much more restrained than their conversation moments ago as actors.

“I said I was busy. What more do you want?”

She let out a half-laugh. “A real excuse. I’ve been busy too, Alicia. Do you think my thesis writes itself? I make time. That’s more than you apparently are willing to do.”

“That’s unfair.” Lexa paused, closing her eyes for a moment before angling back toward Clarke. “I love you, Elyza. That doesn’t mean I have to write you constantly.”

“No, you don’t write at all!” She left no pause before jumping in, letting herself get angrier, now channeling just a hint of her relationship with Finn. “I sit and worry and try to go about my life with no idea where you are or what you’re doing.”

“Yes because my life is such a picnic compared to yours,” Lexa snapped.

Clarke popped up on the edge of her seat, scanning down the page a bit to know what was coming. She needed this intensity to snowball. “I never said that!”

“You never said anything!” Lexa’s eyes flashed as she looked up and glared at Clarke. “All those letters, and you never told me a damn thing that was important.”

“Never?” Clarke let herself sit in stunned silence a moment before driving forward, tearing her eyes from the script to match Lexa. “My mom’s cancer wasn’t important? The nightmares I kept having about you in combat wasn’t important? The stress I went through trying to deal with both during classes wasn’t important?”

Pursing her lips, Clarke clenched her hands around the script. “I get it. I really do. Nothing and no one is important except you. I used to admire your self-focus—how determined you were to always push toward your goals without anyone stopping you. Now I see you better. It’s always been nothing more than selfishness.”

“Get out.” Lexa kept the words quiet and controlled.

Clarke made a moment of taking a shaky breath to get herself down to Lexa’s volume, although she gave it none of the control. “It’s my apartment. Your name’s not even on the lease.”

With their eyes locked, Clarke could see the hint of pleading in the other’s eyes. “You have places to go. I don’t.”

“I don’t care.”

Their eyes stayed locked like that until Marcus clapped a hand on Lexa’s shoulder. “There, you see? She’s got all that energy we need.”

Trying not to look too pleased, Clarke smiled. She glanced back at Lexa. Vindication coursed through her at the resigned anger on the other woman’s face. Even she couldn’t deny Clarke’s performance had matched her own.

Marcus stood and motioned toward the door. “I’ll be right back. I might as well go get your manager, Clarke. I’ve heard quite the horror story or two about how protective she is of you.” Without waiting for an answer from either woman, he breezed out the door.

They sat in terse silence for a moment before Lexa commented, “Protective, hmm? The two of you must be quite close.”

Clarke could read the implication veiled in the comment and remembered her own admission earlier. “We’re close, but not like that. Share an ex actually. He was a two-timing asshole that we’re both better without.”

Granted they had drunkenly kissed one night while completely smashed and trying to get over Finn, but Lexa didn’t need to know that.

“So no secret girlfriends?” Lexa squared her shoulders back, the picture of casual coldness, but Clarke could tell it was a show.

“None at all. Actually only been with a woman once,” Clarke admitted, although it was mostly out of curiosity for Lexa’s reaction. Her one-off with a study partner in college was something she didn’t dwell on often. Niylah had been a lovely girl but not quite what Clarke needed.

Her eyes widened minutely, and her tongue peaked out for a mere second before her mask settled back into place. Still, Clarke could see a spark of something new on her face. If she didn’t know better, she might call in mischief.

Lexa leaned a bit closer. “That’s unfortunate,” she said while holding Clarke’s gaze.

At that moment, Marcus opened the door and ushered Raven into the room, so Clarke’s attention was on them. She almost missed Lexa’s last comment, a soft whisper meant only for Clarke.

“You’ll need more experience before we start shooting. Perhaps I can help.”

**Author's Note:**

> By the way, I have a Ko-fi now. [Donate here](ko-fi.com/aaliona) if you're interested in supporting my work.


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